Family Matters
by jayer
Summary: The past comes back to haunt Reid.
1. The letter

The bullpen was humming with the sound of computer keys and copy machines.

"I'm going to sleep for at least a day." Elle yawned as she typed. "Maybe even two."

"Bit too much action for you, Greenway." Morgan laughed, ducking the paper ball Elle lobbed at him.

"Nine cases in five weeks with no days off and you aren't wiped out?"

"I didn't say that."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Sleep, eat something that isn't take out or from a vending machine. Heck, I might even catch a movie." Morgan spun around in his chair. "What about you, Reid?"

Reid jumped, looking up from his computer. "What?"

"You got big plans for the weekend?"

"Sleep. Read. Laundry. Clean out my refrigerator."

"How exciting." Morgan grinned. "Don't look now." He nodded as JJ walked up.

"Hey, Reid." JJ held out an envelope. "This came for you a few days ago."

"Thanks." Reid ripped open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet.

"Somebody sending you love letters."

"No." Reid said plainly. He tucked the letter under some papers and went back to the report he was writing.


	2. Time off

Reid knocked on the open door. Hotch looked up from his papers with a tired smile. "You heading out?"

Reid stepped into the office. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure."

Reid nudged the door shut and slipped into one of the chairs across from Hotch.

"I need to go out of town for a couple of days. Personal matter."

"Is this about your father?"

"The last appeal was rejected. It's set for Saturday night."

"There's always clemency."

"He killed six police officers in five weeks. One of them was the governor's older brother. There's no way he's going to grant clemency."

There was a long pause. Hotch watched Reid who sat stiffly in his chair, his eyes on the floor.

"You don't seem too thrilled about this little road trip."

"I'm not. But I promised my mother I would see it through to the end."

"I wish I could say something that would make this easier."

"I appreciate the desire."

"Take as long as you need. And call me if you need anything. Any time. Halley will understand."

"Thank you, sir." Reid got up slowly and walked to the door.

"Reid." He stopped with his hand on the knob. "I mean it. Anything."

Reid nodded and walked out of the office.

"Hey, Reid." Morgan looked up from his desk. "How about you come with me and catch a movie tomorrow?"

"Can't." Reid slipped on his jacket.

"Sunday then. I'll even buy you a burger afterwards and you can tell me all the things they got totally wrong."

"Can't." Reid grabbed his bag and walked towards the stairs.

"Hey, Reid," Morgan called out as he reached the door. "Have you seen the crime scene photos from the Sherwood case?"

"On my desk, help yourself." Reid said and slipped out without another word.

"That was weird, even for Reid." Elle remarked from her desk.

Morgan shrugged as he searched Reid's desk for the file. "He's tired. We all are. Probably focused on getting to his bed."

"Suppose so."

Morgan spotted the file. "Got it." He dropped into his chair, opening the file. A slip of paper fell out. "What's this?" He unfolded the paper, gasping as he scanned the contents. "Oh my god."


	3. Final moments

The cab pulled up outside of the prison entrance.

"That's $22 even."

Reid pulled a couple of bills out of his wallet and handed them to the older man. "Keep the change."

Reid climbed out of the cab and walked slowly towards the visitor entrance.

A guard approached him as he reached the door.

"Visiting hours are over."

Reid pulled out his ID. "Spencer Reid. I'm on the list for the execution."

The guard consulted a list in the guard's cubicle. "Yes, sir." He waved to a second guard to escort Reid inside.

"Remove your jacket please, sir."

"Of course." Reid handed his jacket to the guard, who quickly inspected it. Reid was quite familiar with the procedures, having been inside several prisons during cases.

The guard quickly patted Reid down. "All clear." Reid nodded, slipping his jacket back on.

The guard showed Reid to a side room where other witnesses were waiting. He dropped into a chair, resting his head in his hands.

Time seemed to grind to a halt. Reid found himself dropping off in the uncomfortable silence.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." A guard's voice woke him up. "Please follow me."

Reid waited until the others, the widows and children of the fallen, had left the room before falling in behind them. They walked across a short stretch of the inner yard to a concrete building. The guard paused outside of the witness room, allowing the group to file inside. Reid could see the chair through the thick glass. He knew that in mere minutes that chair would contain the body of a living human being. That man would be strapped down, a hood placed over his face, electrical conduits attached to various points on his head and chest and then, at the stroke of midnight, a current of electricity would be sent through his body, overloading all bodily functions and killing that man.

Panic filled Reid's mind. His chest felt tight, he couldn't breathe. He wasn't sure he could even remain standing. The air around him felt hot, the room too small.

"Sir?" The guard gave him a concerned look.

"I just need a moment."

The guard nodded and took his place just inside the open door.

Reid leaned against the wall, his eyes closed. "I can do this." He muttered to himself.

"Of course you can."

Reid opened his eyes to find Morgan standing next to him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Hotch didn't tell me, if that's what you're thinking." Morgan held out the letter. "You accidentally shoved it in the case file."

"So you just read it and decided to turn up."

"This isn't something you should be doing alone, Reid."

"I've dealt with it for eight years alone. I didn't want to drag anyone into it."

"You mean you didn't want anyone to know. Didn't want to add one more thing to the list of reasons why Spencer Reid is a total freak."

"Well, if you must know, yeah." Reid smiled half heartedly. "I'm glad you came."

"Sure thing, kid." Morgan smiled at him.

"Sir." The guard nodded to the clock. "I need you to step inside now."

"Let's do this." Morgan said with a grim chuckle.

They moved inside the room. Reid took a seat in the back. He could sense Morgan standing behind him.

Reid felt the panic rising up again as the guards escorted the condemned man into the chamber. Morgan reached out and put his hand gently on Reid's shoulder.

The ceremony was a blur. Words slipped by Reid's attention as he watched. He was, generally speaking, not a violent person. He had joined the FBI to stop those who were. It took all his will not to look away as the switch was thrown, but he didn't. He watched as the body twitched and writhed from the current, as the attending doctor entered and pronounced the condemned man dead.

"It's over," Morgan said softly.

"Can we go now?" Reid slowly stood up.

"Yeah."

They walked out in silence, Morgan leading the way to a rental car in the parking lot. "We've got time until the first flight. You hungry? I'm buying."

"Not really."

"Me neither."

"There is something I'd like to do."

"Sure."


	4. a last task

"I've never broken into a cemetery before." Morgan laughed as they climbed over the wall.

Reid walked quietly across the grass and down the dirt path. After several minutes, he stopped in front of a pair of grave markers.

In the moonlight, Morgan could read the names on the stones.

"Catherine Darcy Reid. Beloved Mother. 1960-1997." Morgan quickly did the math in his head. "You were --"

"Sixteen." Reid nodded, gently pulling up the weeds that had grown around the markers.

"How?"

"Cancer. By the time they found it, it was too late. She died eight months later."

Morgan looked at the second grave stone. "James Spencer Reid. Devoted husband and father. 1959-1995." As Reid pulled away a handful of weeds, he saw another line. "To protect and serve."

"He was Pritchard's fourth victim," Reid said solemnly. "The shot was at near point blank range. He held on long enough for us to get there. To say good-bye."

Reid continued pulling at the weeds and grass until a small patch of bare earth was uncovered. He reached into his satchel and pulled out a small notebook. Morgan could see bits of newsprint sticking out from between the pages. A record, he guessed, of every event from that night until now. Reid pulled out the letter and tucked it into the back of the notebook.

He pulled a lighter out of his pocket and put the flame against the pages. The paper, much of it old and dry, lit quickly.

Reid stood, watching the pages curl and blacken in the flames. "It's over, Daddy. It's finally over.."


End file.
